The Global Philanthropy Forum presents Plenary 6: Harnessing Private Enterprise to Public Policy Goals with Jan Piercy (Moderator) and panelists Kurt Hoffman, Ashok Khosla and Alan Detheridge.
Bio
Alan Detheridge
Alan Detheridge graduated from Oxford University in 1969 and, after some years in the computing industry, he joined the Shell Group in 1977. He is currently a Vice President of Shell International Petroleum Company Limited, responsible for external relationships in the Royal Dutch/Shell Group’s worldwide exploration and production business. IN that capacity, he liaises with home and host governments, non-governmental organizations, and foundations. His particular focus is Africa and his interest is in developing partnerships between civil society, governments, multi-lateral organizations, foundations, and industry to tackle issues facing the developing world. Alan has been responsible for initiating several such large-scale partnerships with USAID, Africare, UNDP, the World Bank, UNAIDS, and other organizations.
Kurt Hoffman
Kurt Hoffman joined Royal Dutch/Shell in 1997 initially to help assess and restructure the Shell Group’s global social investment activities. This led to the design and launch of the International Shell Foundation in June 2000. Under his leadership, the Foundation developed a portfolio of more than 80 initiatives spread across more than 20 countries. Prior to joining Shell, Kurt Hoffman’s career as development professional included ten years as a Reader in Development Economics and as a Senior Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. His career also included a decade and a half in senior advisory and operational assignments throughout the developing world, foundations, and international agencies such as the UN, European Union, and World Bank. In parallel, he pursued a career in business as a strategic advisor to international companies setting up manufacturing facilities in developing countries and as an entrepreneur raising venture financing to launch and run two small-business start-ups. Until recently, he also served as chairman of one of the longest running small family businesses in the UK. Kurt was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2003, and serves on the boards of a small number of for-profit and not-for-profit entities.
Dr. Ashok Khosla
Dr. Ashok Khosla is the President of Development Alternatives and the Chairman and CEO of Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA). Previously, he set up and headed the Office of Environmental Planning and Coordination within the Government of India, and was Director of INFOTERRA in the United Nations Environment Programme. Dr. Khosla was Special Advisor to the Brundtland Commission, and served as advisor to the United Nations, World Bank, GEF, and various other inter-governmental and government agencies. He was also advisor to the MacArthur Foundation, IDR, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and other independent international bodies. In addition, he is a member of the National Security Advisory Board, the Science Advisory Council to the Cabinet, and the National Environment Council of the Government of India.
Jan Piercy
Jan Piercy is Executive Vice President of ShoreBank Corporation, the first and largest community development financial institution in the U.S. She led capital raising for ShoreCap International, a company ShoreBank launched in 2004 with an international set of shareholders to invest in local financial institutions doing small business lending or microfinance in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Previously Jan served as U.S. Executive Director on the Board of the World Bank, and she received the U.S. Treasury Medal of Honor in 2000 for her work in international economic development during the Clinton Administration. Jan is on the Advisory Council of the Acumen Fund and the boards of Vital Voices and Women Advancing Microfinance, and she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
While I found the presentations by the Shell company representatives to be thoughtful, I nevertheless remain skeptical at the idea of oil companies like Shell involved in philanthropy and aiding the developing world.